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Masterwork
Masterwork What is Masterwork in 5th edition. I’m a big fan of using existing mechanics to accomplish my goals. The less new stuff I have to invent from whole-cloth, the better. And that’s what this masterwork for 5th edition is. It’s me using existing mechanics to my advantage. The mechanics we’ll be using today? +1 weapons and armor. I dislike magic weapons and armor that are simply have a +1 bonus. +1 AC, +1 attack and damage rolls. Blech. BOOOORING! And, in my mind, it doesn’t even make any sense. Why, pray tell, does a +1 longsword give you a +1 to attacks and damage rolls? What magic is used for is to add this bonus? Is it an inherent True Strike spell, so that it’s attracted to foes? Does it expand in the wound ever so slightly to deal more damage? What is it? This concept has always been ill-defined since the beginning of the game back in the ‘70s. And all of the explanations I’ve heard are stupid. Do you know what isn’t stupid? Letting the +1 bonus on weapons and armor be a catch-all for masterwork. Why does your sword grant a +1 to attacks and damage? Well, it was forged by a great blacksmith, you see! It’s exceptionally-well balanced, has a razor-sharp edge, and the grip is fitted perfectly for my hands! See the way the blade curves right at the tip here? It’s to allow for a smoother cut, so that I can reposition more quickly to land another blow. See what I'm saying here? Now, I know what you’re about to say. You’ve seen this proposed before. There’s no official masterwork rules, so simply allowing a +1 item to be masterwork makes perfect sense. Except everyone usually stops there when they give this advice. And my question to them is: “What about +2 and +3? What makes +2 and +3 inherently magical if +1 is masterwork?” It’s the same problem I presented above. What justification are you going to use? An aura of sharpness around the sword? Magic crystals that deflect attacks? What? Well, I propose that we don’t try to come up with any of these justifications at all. I propose going all the way. Keep magic magical... Fire damage, lightning bolts, and spinning helicopter axes on thier own. Let masterwork rule the +1, +2, and +3 bonuses. Because it is a perfect system. Every problem I’ve encountered above is solved within this system. Consistency? Come on. What’s more consistent than +1, +2, and +3 bonuses? Simplicity? I refer to the previous statement. It’s literally a number added onto die rolls. Excitement? When you upgrade your weapon in this system, there is always a benefit in all areas. But what about thematic resonance? What about Van Gogh’s Starry Night being cheaper than my car? There’s even an inherent solution to this problem here. And the best part is that it makes sense! I can’t tell you how much this stuff gets me jazzed, guys! See, a +1 weapon is considered “Uncommon” in the magic item rules. This means that it’s commonly worth less than 500 gp. I think of this as Borka the Blacksmith’s prized sword. She forged this sword in her prime, and it is the greatest item she’s ever created. It’s nearly perfect in every way: light, strong, and incredibly-well balanced. However, Borka the Blacksmith is the local smith in the town of Arseville. She didn’t train under a master smith. She never went to Blacksmith college. She isn’t forging on the ancestral Lava Anvil of the Goblin Queen. And, therefore, her best effort is a very impressive sword that will see you through any number of adventures, but it’s no Excalibur. A +2 weapon? It’s considered “Rare”, which monetarily means it’s worth up to 5,000 gp. This is like the Six-Fingered Sword in the Princess Bride. It’s a weapon of incredible quality, far surpassing the best work of even talented smiths. It might take years to forge a weapon of this quality, and most have quite storied and bloody pasts. In most games, I would consider a +2 weapon to be the pinnacle of what a mortal smith can achieve without the aid of the mystic arts. And +3 weapons? Statistically, they’re “Very Rare,” giving them a cap of 50,000 gp in value. This is Excalibur or Masamune. These weapons could be mistaken for magic, and are legends in their own right. They are perfect in every way. Truly flawless pieces of artwork. The cap is 50,000 gp, but I would consider these weapons priceless. Taking a step away from weapons and instead focusing on armor, we find that they are all one step higher in value. +1 is rare, +1 is very rare, and +3 is legendary. From a statistical standpoint, I get this. Remember, 5th edition places a VERY high value on increasing your AC. This is why so many spells that traditionally granted an AC bonus have been retrofitted into this new system with different mechanics. Mage armor doesn’t give you +4 AC any longer. Now it gives you a standard AC of 13 + your Dex modifier. Barkskin ensures that your AC cannot go below 16, rather than giving a bonus. This means that giving armor an inherent boost to AC makes it far more mechanically valuable than a weapon that adds to attack and damage. And this makes a kind of sense. After all, making armor is, arguably, a much more arduous process than forging a weapon. There’s simply a lot more to make. In addition to that, you have to go through constant fittings with the armor to ensure that it fits properly, and it must constantly be adjusted. There are more moving parts, and it just takes more work. Therefore, a +3 armor SHOULD be legendary. There might be one such suit of armor in the entire world. The dwarf-queen’s war plate from the battle of Valley Hills, forged on the back of an adamantine golem in a dragon’s fire breath is legendary. It probably took decades to forge. Her hammer? In all likelihood, it took much less time and effort, even if it does have a +3 bonus. In the end, this system just makes the most sense. It has a natural scaling mechanic, placing higher value on rarer, more powerful items, and keeps benefits consistent and simple, allowing you to focus on other parts of your game. It also allows you to narratively differentiate between the skill of mortal men and women and the power of magic. It means that magic weapons and armor need not be masterwork, and powerful masterwork items need not be magical. It really is a perfect system. References How to Make Masterwork Items in 5th Edition D&D by CHRISTOPHER DELVO published DECEMBER 4, 2015